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Date November 2019 Marks available 1 Reference code 19N.3.HL.TZ0.20
Level Higher level Paper Paper 3 Time zone TZ0 / no time zone
Command term Describe Question number 20 Adapted from N/A

Question

Liver transplantation is a viable treatment option for end-stage liver disease and acute hepatic failure. The graph below shows the main diseases leading to liver transplants, in three age groups.

[Source: European Liver Transplant Registry. http://www.eltr.org/Overall-indication-and-results.html]

One of the functions of the liver is to break down hemoglobin.

Describe the relationship between age and liver transplants due to cancers.

[1]
a.

Describe the breakdown of hemoglobin in the liver.

[3]
b.i.

Outline one other function of the liver.

[1]
b.ii.

State one material not produced by the human body that is egested from the digestive system.

[1]
c.

Markscheme

as age increases liver transplant due to cancer increases ✔

a.

a. hemoglobin taken up by Kupffer cells ✔ Do not accept confusion between erythrocytes and hemoglobin.

b. broken down into heme and globins ✔

c. globin hydrolysed/broken down to amino acids ✔

d. iron removed from heme group
OR
heme broken down to form bilirubin/bile pigment ✔

b.i.

a. storage of nutrients ✔

b. regulation of blood glucose levels ✔ e.g. glucose to glycogen and vice versa.

c. production/secretion of bile ✔ Do not accept production of bile pigments from hemoglobin in the liver.

d. detoxification ✔

e. synthesis of plasma proteins e.g. albumin ✔

f. synthesis and regulation of cholesterol ✔

Accept only the first answer if more than one are provided.

b.ii.

cellulose/lignin/fibre
OR
bacteria ✔

c.

Examiners report

[N/A]
a.
[N/A]
b.i.
[N/A]
b.ii.
[N/A]
c.

Syllabus sections

Option D: Human physiology » Option D: Human physiology (Core topics) » D.3 Functions of the liver
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Option D: Human physiology » Option D: Human physiology (Core topics)
Option D: Human physiology

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